Relentless

Chapter 56

Juliet

"Sneaking out of the hotel was one thing, but sneaking into a hospital after visiting hours,"

"Shut up!" Maris whispers as we climb the stairs to the ICU.

"Do you know where we're going?" I whisper.

"Hell no. I'm following the signs."

"How will we know which room is his?"

"We look inside. Why are you suddenly all jumpy? You were all for this plan a few hours ago."

"Yeah and then I thought about it and I think it's wrong. If he's in a coma,"

"Then he won't be able to tell anyone you were there, so shut up and let me find your boyfriend."

"Ex-boyfriend." I correct her.

"Yeah, sure." She whispers sarcastically.

We enter a hallway and see several rooms on the sides of us. I look through the left side while Maris look through the right. I look closely at the people's faces and don't recognize them. I'm about to give up when I hear my name called. I look at Maris and see a sad look on her face. She points to a room and I walk over to it, opening the door.

I look to the hospital bed and see a man with tubes down his throat and machines all around him. His heart monitor is showing a fast heart rate and there is an IV drip hooked up to him. I move closer and look at his face. The gorgeous face I used to see every day is now pale and lifeless. There is a blanket covering is chest and his hair is disheveled. I slowly move a few strands to the side with my hand and then place my hand over his. It's cold and still.

Too still.

I look behind me and see Maris keeping watch to see if any nurses or doctors come by. I look back to Ashton and put my free hand on his cheek. He looks broken and bruised. I bend down and place a gently kiss on his forehead.

"Keep fighting, my brave soldier." I whisper in his ear. "You'll be okay." I look down at his cheek and see a drop of water. I put my hand to my cheek and feel a trail of water, showing that I'm crying.

"Juliet, we have to go!" Maris whispers in an urgent tone. I kiss his forehead one last time and look over his body.

I want to lay next to him and rest my head on his chest. I want to kiss his perfect lips and feel him kissing back. Instead, I run out of the room and see Maris with wide eyes looking down the hall. "Let's get out of here." I say, taking her hand and dragging her to the stairs.

As we run down the stairs, I can tell she knows I'm crying. She pulls me to the side and stops me from running.

"What are you doing? We have to go!" I say.

"Juliet,"

"Maris, we can't get caught we have to leave!"

"The doctors probably passed, do you want to go back?"

Yes.

"No, no, I can't! Being in there just reminded me of how much I hurt him and everything that I've done to him and I can't. It's selfish and stupid and I can't!"

"But I thought you loved him."

"I do! That's why I can't see him again!" I say, running past Maris and into the lobby. Once I reach the lobby, I see a receptionist sleeping at her desk, but nobody else is around. Quickly and quietly I run out of the hospital and wait by the car for Maris. When she arrives, she tries to talk to me, but I turn around and walk to the passenger side, waiting for her to unlock the doors.

When we both get inside the car, I feel her staring at me as I stare straight ahead.

"We have to go back to Texas tomorrow." I tell her.

"Why?"

"Because I can't stay here and be reminded every day that he's alive. I have to think that he's dead."

"But he isn't, Juliet. I thought you would be happy."

"I don't expect you to understand. Let's just go."

And with that, she puts the car in reverse, backs out of the parking space and drives away.

------

I can't live in the past.

What's done is done and there is nothing I can do about it.

I might as well embrace today and be grateful for everything that I have.

The next morning, I grab my things and put on a comfortable outfit, preparing myself to catch an early flight to Texas. As I get ready, my phone rings. It's Josh.

"Maris!" I yell.

"What?" She says, entering my room a second later.

"It's Josh."

"Answer it!" I stare at the screen and then hand the phone out to her. "He's your manager, I'm not doing it!"

"He's your friend!"

"Yeah, but I... He's gonna... Jesus!" She grabs the phone and hits answer. "Hey there Joshy! How's it hanging?" She gives me an angry look, but I know she's not angry. "Hey! Hello!" She yells. My guess is that she's trying to get his attention because he's yelling. "Stop yelling!"

Yep, I'm right.

"We're at Juliet's Aunt's house... It's in LA... We were planning on staying for two days but we are catching the next flight to Dallas... But it's not for three days... I guess I could do that... Is it the same hotel that we stayed at last time?... Okay, we'll do that. Calm your pants, we'll meet you there. Bye." She hangs up and chucks my phone on the bed, rolling her eyes and sighing.

"He's pissed?" I ask.

"Just a little." She responds. "He wants us to catch the first flight to New York."

"Why?"

"He thinks it will be easier, I don't know, he's really stressed out." She says, walking out of the room. "Let's get going."

I walk out of my room with my bag and take one last good look at it before closing the door. When I arrive in the living room, Lisa is standing by the door in her scrubs with Maris. She looks at me sympathetically and then hugs me, holding me tightly.

"I'm so proud of you." She says, kissing the side of my head. "Keep in touch, okay?"

"Of course. Thank you for everything."

"There's no need to thank me. Go knock their socks off."

"Knock their socks off? How old are you?" I say, laughing. Lisa chuckles and walls us outside. I see a taxi parked by the curb and look over the house that I now call home. Hugging Lisa one last time, I hear her whisper something in my ear.

"I'll call you if anything changes." She whispers. I look at her and see a sad smile on her face.

"You don't have to do that." I whisper back.

"Okay, I won't." She winks at me and we both start for our cars. Thinking what she said through, I turn around quickly and shout at her before she gets into her call.

"Call if he wakes up." I say.

"I was going to anyway." She smiles, sliding into her car. When I get into the taxi I look to Maris and see her smirking at me, leaning her elbow against the window.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I ask, closing the door.

"You're in loooooooove." She cooes.

"Shut up." I say to her. "LAX please." I tell the driver, I see him look in the mirror at me and take a double take.

"You're Juliet Summers!"

Oh geez.